Illegal...But Eye-Catching: Bubbles spew from Greenville St. Park

by W. Winston Skinner

Bubbles flow outward from the fountain at the Greenville Street Park as Newnanites headed to work on Thursday.

Commuters heading out of downtown Newnan on Thursday were greeted by a soapy, foamy surprise.

Someone put something soapy into the fountain at the Greenville Street Park. About 7 a.m., the fountain was whipping up a continual wall of foam. Masses of bubbles were scattered all over the park.

Occasionally, a large piece would glide — iceberg style — along a sidewalk. Large hunks were lifted into the air until they found a place to land. The practice is illegal. Newnan Police Chief D.L. “Buster” Meadows said his department will charge violators “if we can determine who put the bubble producing solution into the fountain.”

“Criminal trespass is a misdemeanor, and criminal damage to property in the second degree is a felony,” Meadows said. “They could also be charged with interference with government — which would be a misdemeanor.”

Bubble aficionados have poured solutions into the fountain at the city park on Temple Avenue in the past. Meadows said “it has been several years” since a case was made for someone putting soap into a city fountain.

On Thursday morning, some who lived or worked near the park took time to check out the abundance of soapy stuff. One youngster visiting with his parents had a simple evaluation of the moving walls of iridescent bubbles: “This is awesome.”